ENERGY STAR® certified dishwashers use less water and energy when compared to conventional models, which results in significantly better cleaning and savings in money, energy, water, and time when compared to hand washing.
ENERGY STAR certified dishwashers offer the following technologies to help you save energy:
- Soil sensors to detect how dirty dishes are and minimize water use
- Water filtration to remove food and use detergent and water more efficiently
- More efficient jets to use less energy while spraying dishes
- Dish rack designs to maximize cleaning.
In addition to the ENERGY STAR label, look for the following when buying a dishwasher:
- The EnergyGuide label, to compare models and estimate operating costs.
- The right size for your home. You’ll likely spend less to operate a standard-size model less often than to run a compact model more frequently.
- Several wash cycle options, to allow you to use more efficient cycles when dishes aren’t heavily soiled.
Dishwasher Tips
The following best practices will save you energy and money when using your dishwasher:
- Scrape your dishes and load them in the dishwasher instead of rinsing or hand washing dishes; ENERGY STAR certified dishwashers will boost water temperature to 140°F. Your dishes will be disinfected and you will spend less time and use less water at the sink—nearly 5,000 gallons per year!
- Only run the dishwasher when it is full (not overloaded).
- Let dishes air dry instead of using your dishwasher’s heated dry setting.
- If your dishwasher has an internal heating element that boosts water temperature (check the manual that came with your dishwasher), set your home’s water heater to 120°F.